The Livingstone Youth Football Academy (LYFA) held the first ever Girls Football Festival in commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Tolerance 2019 and also celebrate the launch of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Women’s Football League in Southern Province.

The first game started with LYFA Academy being the winners 2-1 against Rockets Utd.
The next games that followed we had LYFA Academy beat Dambwa Utd 2- 0; Dambwa Utd again losing 1- 0 to Rockets Utd; Choma Warriors Draw 1-1 with Libuyu Utd, Simonga Utd being defeated by Choma warriors 2 goals to nil; and the last game in the group stages Libuyu Utd beat Simonga Utd an astouding 4 – 0.

We had Libuyu Utd, Choma Warriors, Rockets Utd and LYFA Academy proceed to the semi finals; The first was between LYFA Academy and Choma warriors, and after full play it was 0 – 0 so it went to penalties; which LYFA Academy won 5-4 prompting celebrations like they had won the Arica cup.
Libuyu Utd aslo made it the finals after beating Rockets Utd 2 – 0; The final was played between Libuyu Utd and LYFA Academy, with LYFA Academy winning 1-0 with a late goal.

“We are excited for the Women’s league to start as it will create a platform for talent exponsure for female football palyers here in Southern Province; we believe whatever men can do, women can do even better that’s why as LYFA, we are happy to part of an ecosystem that promotes female participation in Football and giving them a chance to play professionally; and we are sure the start of this league is just the beginning towards creating a more inclusive, gender equal world.” – Lwanga Bwalya (LYFA Zambia)

“We also like to thank Finta Dairy (One of the event partners), for coming onbaord to provide the extra energy source for the Girls during the intense Football Festival thereby promoting good nutrition especially that Football is an intense physical activity which also requires sufficient nutrtion in addition to fitness” He said.

And the Southern Province FAZ coordiantor called on media houses to cover women’s football as much as they cover men’s soccer as skill was defnitely showcased fully during the Girls Football festival and Thank ATD Foundation on fostering a Girl Empowered community.